Searching
by Worm'sShoes
Summary: What you search for may not be what you find... but sometimes what you find leads you to what you've been searching for... WARNING: char deaths
1. Blind Search

**This is one of those ' interconnectedness of all things' stories, every chap will star a different character, but Shadow is the constant character to appear throughout. There will be DEATH. The only curse words however will probably come from ME. LoL Enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I own no Sonic Characters… waaaaaahhhhh…… if I write about something that is my own I'll let you know… I guess the idea of Cream being a psychic belongs to me…**

Chapter 1 Blind Search

There was a flash. He saw a metal corridor. Another flash. He saw a soldier as he raised a weapon. The next flash presented the image of a human girl with blonde hair and blue eyes. There were many more flashes; each brought with it a new image. He saw a blue hedgehog, a yellow two-tailed fox, a red echidna, a pink female hedgehog standing next to a small cream-colored rabbit with a floating blue tear-shaped creature, a girl that resembled a plant, seven differently colored gems, places he didn't recognize, and some that he did.

…The visions had been going on for several days. Shadow the hedgehog spent every second searching for anything that could show him the images in his mind. He tried every possibility, everything he could possibly use to get a lead on what he was seeing.

He was sitting at a computer in the library he'd been visiting for the past few days when she caught his attention. She caught the attention of a lot of people in fact. Mostly because it was strange to see a white bat in the middle of the day in a library in the city, but also because she was extremely beautiful.

Shadow was suddenly aware of all the eyes that were watching her and diverted his own gaze, trying not to stare. He stared at the information on the computer screen and pretended not to notice as she sat down next to him.

"You sure have been coming here a lot in the past few days."

Shadow looked up.

"Excuse me?"

She smiled, "Amnesia again, huh?"

Shadow stared at her. There was something extremely familiar about her that he couldn't quite place.

"I…suppose so…"

She sighed, "Guess I should re-introduce myself, right?"

Shadow nodded, "Couldn't hurt…"

"Well then. My name is Rouge the Bat."

She gave him a bright smile and raised her hand for a handshake. As soon as Shadow's hand touched hers, images flooded his mind. He remembered her. Everything they'd done, everywhere they'd been, it all came back to him.

He smiled in recognition and said simply, "Rouge."

Rouge told Shadow all about what had happened to everyone else and everything they had been through since they got back to the planet. Sonic and Amy were now engaged and were going to have a party to celebrate. Cosmo had been revived from the plant Tails had grown and now the two had become inseparable. Cream has strange visions where she sees the future. Knuckles has been guarding the Master Emerald just like he always has, only he finally allowed Tails to install some computers and other ways to contact the echidna guardian.

Rouge took Shadow with her to the party for Sonic and Amy, which made the blue hedgehog ecstatic to be able to see his dark friend again. When Shadow was properly introduced to them he would get more of his memory back. Every one of them carried several pieces to the puzzle and by the end of the party he had enough of his memory back to satisfy him until he could find the rest. Sonic seemed more than willing to help Shadow get his memory back and promised to take Shadow to 'see the doctor'. Shadow was extremely confused by this statement, but was able to ignore it and rejoin the party.

----------------------------------------Later, after the party---------------------------------------------------------------------

"Are you glad you found some of the answers you were looking for?"

"Mostly…"

Rouge looked up, "What?!"

Shadow smiled, "Now that I remember… I know that I've been missing something…"

Rouge stared at him.

"Rouge… I don't want to make you try again… Can we start back where we left off?"

Rouge smiled, "I would love that."

They kissed.

"How 'bout we go home now?"

Shadow smirked, "Your place or mine?"

Rouge took his hand and started walking, "My house is much nicer than yours."

Shadow looked confused, "How do you know?"

"What? You think I was just scoping out the library? …By the way, your milk expired on Tuesday."

Shadow faked a disgusted look. They laughed and moved closer together.

"… were you kidding?"

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

A dark figure narrowed his eyes in disgust.

"This will not go on. Stop it any way you must, but no harm shall come to him."

Green, crystal-like eyes gleamed in the darkness. "Of course, I don't think I would stand a chance against your son. If he's anything like yourself I would be annihilated within moments."

Orange and blood-red eyes glared at the smaller figure, "Cease your attempts at flattery and leave my comet. NOW."

The green-eyed figure smirked, "Yes, your highness."

As he walked away his eyes darkened, "…no PHYSICAL harm… never… his mind is a completely different matter. Hehehehehe"

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

**Wow. Okay. I think I might actually continue this story past chapter one! Need people TO WANT IT, tho.**

**Just 3 reviews a'ight? Then I will have the next chapter ready. WANTS IT! lol**


	2. Search for a Proper Method of Vengeance

**WOAH-HO-HO! 2****ND**** CHAPPY! PRETTY AWSUM! I WAS ACTUALLY WORRIED I WOULD NEVER START THIS! I HAVE PROVE-ED MAHSELF WRONG! SEMI-YAY 4 MEEEEEEEE!**

**THANKSIES 4 THA REVI-EWS! NOT! Why did nobody revi-ew? Ah well, maybe you'll want to when there's more to read about.**

**Now on to a much more demented chappy!**

**ENJOYS!**

**Disclaimer: don't own Sonic or any other Sega characters….. (sigh) welp…here ya gooooo!**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Chapter 2 Search for a Proper Method of Vengeance

Mephiles gathered strength. Creating an orb of sight to show Black Doom Shadow's every action had taken a lot out of him. Space was NOT his strong suit. If he had taken them back in time they could have simply spied after arriving in the location at the exact time it took place. The alien leader, however, would NEVER agree to leave his army for a single year. Not impossible to understand considering that the Black Arms are the most powerful race in the universe and have even had other races imitate their ruthless style. Imagine if one of the wannabe-Black Arms alien factions learned of Shadow's existence and origins. They could find a way to destroy the Black Arms entirely.

It annoyed Mephiles how much concern Black Doom seemed to have for Shadow… of course if you were letting your secret weapon reside on a human planet you might be just as concerned.

Mephiles smirked, it was a very good thing that Black Doom didn't know about Shadow's numerous human friends. No doubt the alien leader would have been much more careful about giving orders if he had known Shadow would side with the humans. All he knew was that Shadow was in love with a human, and he hated it.

Mephiles began contemplating ways to separate the two. 'It would prove impossible to get Shadow to leave her… but what if she left him?'

Mephiles thought about Rouge, trying to remember what he wasn't supposed to know.

'She loves Shadow… that's obvious… the gems! She loves jewels!'

Mephiles smirked, 'and the largest gem on the planet is located on Angel Island. She might accept a deal for it…'

--------------After regaining enough energy he teleported himself to Angel Island-----------------

His eyes found the emerald resting on top of a shrine. 'Ahhhhh… it's like it's just waiting to be stolen…' Mephiles scanned the area carefully, well aware that the guardian was close by. He spotted some red and promptly repositioned himself so he could get a better look. The echidna looked distressed. He kept staring at the ground, not looking up when the Master Emerald shined and blinked like a flashlight trying to get his attention. With an evil smirk, Mephiles dissolved into a shadow and slid carefully to the echidna's location.

Knuckles sighed, "Why him?... I thought maybe I still had some time to convince her to like me… maybe it really did annoy her when I stopped her from stealing the emerald…"

As the echidna continued his train of thought, the perfect plan began to form in the evil hedgehog's mind. 'Time to put my new power to the test… hehehehe' he slowly morphed himself into Knuckles's own shadow.

"IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!"

Knuckles looked up after hearing his own voice, "Who's there?!"

"SHE CAN'T DO THIS TO ME… I LOVE HER MORE THAN HE EVER COULD!"

Knuckles's eyes suddenly glazed over into a trance-like state, "I do…"

"IF I CAN'T BE WITH HER I HAVE TO MAKE SURE SHE DOESN'T RUIN HER LIFE!"

Knuckles nodded, "Shadow will just hurt her over and over again…"

Mephiles squinted his eyes as the Master Emerald suddenly glowed brighter than anything he'd ever seen. He worried that perhaps his mind trick had been undone. He was, therefore, relieved when Knuckles's eyes remained glazed and he began walking to the edge of the island to transport himself to the world below.

Mephiles followed gleefully in the echidna's shadow.

----------------------------------------**Rouge's Mansion, Station Square**-------------------------------------------

Mephiles glided along behind Knuckles as they made their trek through Station Square to the outskirts of the city. Every once in a while he would say something about Knuckles's feelings for Rouge to keep the guardian moving. Mephiles enjoyed thinking of what the echidna might say to separate Rouge and Shadow, if there was even a little love there between Rouge and Knuckles, then the mindless echidna would take advantage of it. He was a little sickened at the thought of a possible romance he might be forced to witness, but the thought of Shadow's suffering made it seem almost bearable.

They arrived at an impressive mansion, with beautiful plants growing around the entire building. Mephiles might have been impressed if he didn't always have the urge to destroy buildings of this size. Knuckles knocked on the front door, which was promptly answered with an, "IN A MINUTE!"

It was a little less than said minute later that a white bat opened the door.

"Hel-! Knuckles? Are you alright?" She looked closer at Knuckles' eyes, taking note of the glazed look.

"Hello Rouge. We need to talk."

Rouge looked nervous. Mephiles could tell she didn't know what to do, she was probably thinking that Knuckles was drunk and was trying to be careful in dealing with him.

"…C'mon in." Knuckles walked inside. "Is everything okay?"

"No."

"…okay…" Rouge's eyes darted around the room.

"It's about Shadow." She looked back to him.

"…What is?" Knuckles gave her an annoyed look.

"What I need to talk to you about." Rouge stared at him.

"…oookay…what about him?"

"Do you remember when he disappeared? It hurt you. Both times."

Rouge sighed, "Yes, that's true… but when he came back… I felt so happy…" She smiled, "both times…"

"He'll just keep doing it. What if he picked the worst time to disappear?" She glared at him.

"He doesn't PICK when he disappears Knuckles."

"I know. It'll be like the movie." Rouge stared at him.

"Movie? Which movie?"

"The Time-Traveler's Wife."

"Oh…that movie…" They were both silent for a few moments. Mephiles wondered what this 'movie' was and why it was relevant to what the brainwashed echidna was up to when they finally spoke again.

"It won't be like that… I'll know how to get him back and he won't just disappear in mid-air…"

Knuckles yelled, "THAT'S NOT THE POINT! DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?! IF YOU LOST HIM TOO MANY TIMES YOU MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT!"

Rouge stared at Knuckles with a unusually calm look on her face.

"I don't really care Knuckles. I'm not leaving him. EVER."

Mephiles narrowed his eyes. 'So much for that plan.' He was about to release the echidna when Knuckles's temper snapped. He lost all hold as the echidna started attacking the bat.

Knuckles launched a punch to her stomach that she tried to dodge by making a leap to the side. The punch grazed by her just barely touching her hip. Rouge was on the move immediately, making her primary focus just making it outside. She had gotten the back door open and was trying to get into the air as quickly as she could when Knuckles tackled her. She felt some bones snap from the impact and screamed as she was helpless now to prevent the beating.

Mephiles watched in awe as the echidna beat the bat to a pulp. Mephiles knew she was dead as soon as she went silent. He smirked triumphantly and decided that he would let the echidna have his mind back, as soon as he threw the body over the little overhang a few feet away.

He forced his red puppet to do so, and released him. As soon as he was free, the echidna looked around. The first thing he noticed was the blood, and then the dark hedgehog standing near him. He looked up rather drowsily and asked, "Shadow? Why am I here? Whose blood is this?"

Mephiles smirked again, "I am not Shadow. You came here of your own free will. The bat's."

His eyes widened, "ROUGE?! Where is she?!"

"You killed her. Look over there. …Yes, over the ledge."

Knuckles had turned the direction Mephiles indicated and, at further instruction, over the ledge.

Mephiles was curious as to whether she could actually be seen and also moved to look over the edge. She was there. Her body had landed on some rocks and the blood was slowly being carried away, little by little, by the waves. The echidna, whether it was because of exhaustion or shock, passed out.

Mephiles heard someone approaching and hid himself in the shadows.

Shadow ran right through the house and out into the back and froze when he saw Knuckles on the ground. He walked forward slowly and looked over the ledge where the blood trail led. He fell to his knees and sat there.

Mephiles expected him to start crying, but the hedgehog merely sat in horrified silence as time slowly passed. After a few moments Shadow slowly turned his head to look at Knuckles. Mephiles smiled, Shadow was probably going to throw him over the edge. However, Shadow slowly reached up and pulled the echidna's arm so that he wasn't close to the edge anymore.

Mephiles's smile disappeared. This wasn't going exactly as planned. He discarded that thought though, as Shadow suddenly seemed different somehow. Mephiles's smile returned as Shadow clenched his eyes shut and tears streamed over his cheeks.

" Mission Accomplished"

It was raining today. Rouge probably wouldn't have wanted that. She never wanted something to happen if she thought it would make Shadow upset. It killed a part of him when she died. Shadow pretended that nothing had changed, but all of us could see it. We just wondered when it would destroy people. When it would become hazardous to everyone's health.

Shadow didn't do much. He was silent, he never laughed, and he constantly seemed to be in his own little world.

But I guess that's really all my fault. Shadow had always seemed unnerved by my 'gullibility' as Sonic and the others call it. He was right, it was because I was gullible that the dark hedgehog had been able to manipulate my mind…

So now Rouge was being lowered into the ground… but I have a feeling she's not the only one being buried today…

**Dang man. See why this chapter creeps me out? Poor Shadow. He's gone right back to being that cold-hearted creature all over again… (sigh) What will next chapter bring? Will Shadow EVER forgive Knuckles? WAITAMINUT!! Why did Shadow not KILL Knucklehead in the first place?**

**Find out if Shadow forgives next chapter.**

**Find out why Shadow didn't kill Knuckles in the 'behind-the-scenes' story, Finding. Coming soon!**

**Lol my own shameless plug.**


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